Semiautomatic disposable blade razor



March 10, 1953 c. A. ARMS 2,630,626

SEMIAUTOMATIG DISPOSABLE BLADE RAZOR Filed DSG. 28, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 March 10, 1953 c. A. ARMs 2,630,626 SEMIAUTOMATIC DIsPosABLE BLADE RAZOR Filed Dec. 28, 1951 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 S'Wlmazq'maz v 9a/01:22am ATTO 2H EVS 2 qq m w i@ f Rm mA. ,w v ,o ,w w 1 MA S 5/...1 3 a I E 8 I yd l) L r 8 2i @o m C L K i m Q j. i i WB l u a i. 1 f 7, WW1. m m e Q Patented Mar. l0, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEMIAUTOMATIC DISPOSABLE BLADE RAZOR 2 Claims.

This invention relates to safety razors. More particularly, the invention has reference to a safety razor of the magazine type, wherein new blades are fed from a stack flatwise into the head of the razor, the insertion of the new blades serving to eject used blades from the head.

An important object of the invention is to provide a compact construction in a razor of the type stated, wherein the magazine will normally be recessed snugly and in a waterproof arrangement within the body of the razor.

Another important object is to provide a razor `construction in which the magazine will be readily released to swing to an operative position in which it will -be conveniently disposed for the blade-changing operation, the swinging of the magazine to said operative position automatically serving to adjust the blades in the Ahead to positions for ejection thereof.

Another important object is to provide a construction as stated wherein the return of the magazine to a recessed position within the body of the razor will serve automatically to clamp the new blades rmly within the blade head in properly adjusted positions relative to the cap and the blade plates, so that the razor is automatically made ready for use.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a safety razor formed in accordance with the present invention, a portion being shown in vertical section;

Figure 2 is a front elevation, a part of the case being broken away to show the details of inner construction;

Figure 3 is a section taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged section through the head of the razor taken substantially on line 4--4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a top plan view, portions being broken away, the magazine being illustrated in its operative position ready for changing of the blades;

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken substantially on line 6-6 of Figure 5;l

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 'I--T of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a side elevational View, the lower portion of the razor body being broken away, the magazine being illustrated in position for blade changing, the parts being shown in an intermediate step of the blade-changing operation.

Figure 9 is a perspective View of a razor blade employed in the safety razor of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a generally rectangular case I is formed open at opposite sides, one side of the case being closed by a side wall 2, which is iixedly secured to the case, and which, after being initially secured to the case, remains as a permanent attachment to the case thereafter.

At its upper end, the case I is formed with a convexly curved top surface, as readily seen from Figure 4, and centrally formed in the upper end of the case is an opening 3, in which is slida'bly mounted a stem 4 integrally or otherwise rigidly formed at its upper end with a blade cap -5 curved correspondingly to the curvature of the top surface of the case.

Interposed between the blade cap 5 and the upper end of the case is a pair of flat blade holders or plates 6 having upturned bladeretaining lugs at opposite ends.

At their opposite ends the respective blade plates 6 have depending ears pivotally connected, as at 1, to the upper end of the case I. Normally, the blade plates and their associated flat blades 8 are disposed as in Figure 4, inclining downwardly from the center of the head. However, by reason of the pivotal connections 1, the blade plates and 'blades are swingably adjustable into a coplanar relationshipfor the ejection of used blades and insertion of new blades.

At opposite ends the respective blades 6 (Figure 9) have notches 9, these being inoperative in the razor head, but having the function, when the blades are stacked in the magazine, of preventing lateral deviation of the blades from a properly stacked arrangement.

At opposite ends of the cap 5 depending Wedges I0 are rigidly secured to the cap. These are integral at their lower ends with oppositely extending arms II that engage under the respective blade plates 6 at locations spaced from the pivotal connections 'I for elevation of the blade plates into the aforementioned coplanar relationship whenever the cap 5 is raised. When the cap 5 is lowered, the opposite sides of the wedges I0 have engagement with the back edges of the blades 8 and are operative to urge the blades 8 downwardly into tight engagement with the retaining lugs of the blade plates.

From the description so far provided, it may be noted that the invention includes a hollow, generally box-like casing and a head assembly mounted for up-and-down sliding movement in the upper end of the casing through the provision of a stem constituting a part of the head assembly that is slidably mounted in the casing, upward movement of the stem being adapted erally from the casing. `which thepivot pin I2 extends is anchored at magazine,

. are. cam surfaces 3 I.

to dispose the blades in`the head in a coplanar relationship, and downward movement of said stem being operative to clamp the blades in oppositely inclined positions, whereby the razor is ready for use.

I provide within the casing a magazine rack assembly pivotallymounted upon .the casing lto swing between extreme positions in one of which it is wholly recessed within the casing, and in the other of which it is disposed exteriorly of the casing for location of a magazine carried thereby in a position in which it may be operated to change blades.

To this end a pivot pin I2 is journaled at opposite ends in recessed, upstanding bearing lugs I3 integrally formed upon ledges I4 xedly attached to the front and back walls of the casing adjacent the upper end'of the casing.

The pivot pin I2 passes through openings formed in spaced ears I5 rigidly secured to a cup- .like rack I6 which, in its .inoperative position,

seen in Figure 2 is recessed in andy extends down- =wardly within-the casing, and which, in the operative position of the rack assembly and magazine, is disposed exteriorly of and extends lat- A spring I1 through one end, as for example, to one of the bearing lugs I3, and at its other end engages the rack, continuously tending to bias the rack to the op- .erative position thereof.

A hollow magazine I8 is removably attached to and carried by the rack, and has nodes I9 formed on opposite walls thereof engageable within openings of the rack. One opening 20 is formed in a resilient lip 2| of the rack, which may be sprung outwardly for removal of the .magazine I8.

Interiorly, the magazine I8 is formed lwith a .guide surface 22. Spaced, parallel guide ribs 23 are formed on the guide surface and are receiva- -blewithin the notches 9` at one end of a twin stack ofA blades 8.

The notches 9 at the other ends of the blades of the stacks receive parallel ribs 24 formed upon the opposite wallof the magazine. The stacks arethus mounted for vertical sliding movement within the magazine, and the blades thereof are retained in registration ywith one another andare held against lateral devia- .tion by the ribs 23v and 24.

Supporting the stacks isablade platform 25 :grooved atopposite ends for slidable mounting upon the ribs 23 and 24, the platform being .of

. hollow, rectangular, cross-sectional conguration platform, so as to press the stacks of blades against the top of the magazine. The top of the in this connection, is removably mounted upon the magazine body, so that upon exhaustion of the blades from the magazine, new

l stacks can be deposited therein.

One sidewall 28 of the casing is slidably mounted upon the magazine, .being formed with depending side flanges 29 having longitudinal slotsA 38 intermediate the opposite ends of lwhich Lugs 32 formed upon the side walls of .the magazine enter the slots 30 for l.slidable reciprocationof the sidewall 28 upon the .magazine -In the recessed .position of ther magazine, the side wall 28 functions as a closure for one side and at the other endy againstv the leverl44.

' of the stacks to be pressed tightly against the top wall of the magazine, the slot 26 is formed in the blade platform, so as to receive the plunger when the stacks near exhaustion.

The plunger and crosshead are disposed below the plane of the top of the magazine, the plunger sliding in an opening 31 formed in the wall of the magazine.

When the side wall 23 is functioning asa closure for one side of the casing I, a groove 38 formed in one end of the side wall receives a transverse rib 39 formed upon thel upper end of the casing. This engages the upper end of the side wall 28 snugly 'with the casing in a desirably waterproof arrangement. At the lower'end, the side wall 28 is releasably latched to the casing, the projection 33'being formed with a slot 48 receiving a lateral finger formed upon one end of a rockable lock rod 4I journaled in bearings 42 upstanding from and` disposed interiorly of the casing. The other end of the lock rod projects through the sidewall 2, and is formed with a handle. In one position to which it is rocked. the rod 4I engages in the slot 40 to latch the lower end of the side wall 28 to' the casing. -When rocked to another extereme position, the'nger of the lock rod moves out of the-slot-M), and the spring I1 is' now free to urge the entire magazine and rack assembly to the position of Figure v6.

Rigid at opposite ends with and extending between the ledges I4 is Aa crossbar-43 medially notched to guide the stem 3. Belowl the crossbar 43, the stem 3 is circumferentially groovedto receive one end of a lever 44 having intermediate its ends upwardly extended ears pivotallyl connected to depending bearing membersr 45 formed upon the ledges I4.

A pin llli is loosely mountedfforsliding move- `ment' in an opening provided ina cross piece 41 rigid with and extendingbetween the ledges I4, and surrounding thek pin v46 Vis a coil spring148 abutting at one end againstthe cross piece41, The spring 48 tends to swing the lever44 to the position illustrated in Figure 6, so that the other end of the lever shifts upwardlyfthe stem 3, thereby to raise the cap 5, which has the effect of elevat- .ing the blade plates and blades into a horizontal plane.

When, however, themagazine and -rack 4assembly is recessed within the casing, the-wall of the rackengages the lower Aend of 'the pin 46, so as to shift the lever 44 to the position `illustrated in Figure 3 against the action of the spring 48. As a result, the stem 3 is forced Adownward- 1y, so that ythe cap`5 clamps the blade plates and blades in the positionillustrated in Figure l, thewedges I0 of the cap urgingthe blades out- 'wardly against the .retaining lugs ofthe blade plates.

In the use of the device, the side wall which serves as a'gripping handle, is'removedfrom the .emptymagazinevand mounted on'v the new. magazine, and the new magazine is then placed/in the rack.

Assuming that it is desired to replace the blades that are in the head of the razor, it is necessary merely to adjust the rod 4| to magazine-releasing position thereof, whereupon the spring I1 will swing the magazine to the position illustrated in Figure 6.

The side wall 28, which now constitutes the gripping handle for the plunger, is slidably shifted to the left in Figure 6 until the crosshead 36 clears the ends of the stacks. The spring 2l, now free to expand slightly, forces the uppermost blades of the stacks into the plane of the crosshead 36. The side wall 28 is then shifted slidably to the right in Figure 6, and the cam surface 3| will be operative to swing the righthand end of the side wall, as seen in Figure 8, upwardly to clear the cap 5. The plunger 35 and crosshead 36, however, will still remain horizontally positioned, due to the fact that the connection of the cross member 34 of the plunger tc the projection 33 of the side wall allows a slight amount of pivotal movement of the plunger relative to the side wall.

Continued movement of the side wall 28 to the right in Figure 8 results in the plunger engaging the uppermost blades of the stacks and forcing them laterally and to the right of the stacks. The new blades thus fit into the head of the razor and act to force the old blades out of the head.

It will be appreciated that simultaneously with the swinging of the magazine to its position outside the casing, the stem 3 will be shifted upwardly to position the blades in the head for ejection.

After new blades have been inserted in the head, the side wall 28 is retracted and the magazine assembly is returned to recessed position within the casing and locked therein by the lock rod 4I. The recessing of the magazine within the casing will, as noted above, result in lowering of the stem 3 to clamp the new blades within the head.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety razor including a casing; a head thereon, said head including blade plates pivotally connected to the casing, a stem slidably reciprocable in the casing, a cap rigid with the stem and overlying the plates for clamping of a pair of blades therebetween on movement of the stem in one direction, and lugs on the cap engaging the blade plates to elevate the same on movement of the stem in an opposite direction; a magazine pivoted on the casing to swing between retracted and extended positions respectively and proportioned to support a plurality of blades; means associated with the stem and magazine and adapted to move the stem in the iirst-named direction on swinging of the magazine to its extended position, said means being engageable by the magazine on swinging of the magazine to its retracted position to move the stem in the second-named direction; and a plunger slidably mounted in the magazine and operative in the extended magazine position to force a pair of blades from the magazine into the head simultaneously with ejection from the head of the rst-named blades.

2. A safety razor including a casing; a head thereon, said head including blade plates pivotally connected to the casing, a stem slidably reciprocable in the casing, a cap rigid with the stem and overlying the plates to clamp a pair of blades therebetween on movement of the stem in one direction, and lugs on the cap engaging the blade plates to elevate the same on movement of the stern in an opposite direction; a magazine pivoted on the casing to swing between retracted and extended positions respectively and proportioned to support a plurality of blades, one side wall of the casing being slidably connected to the magazine; means associated with the stem and magazine and adapted to shift the stem in said opposite direction on swinging of the magazine to its extended position, said means being adapted for engagement by the magazine on swinging of the magazine to its retracted position, to move the stem in the said one direction; and a plunger connected to said side wall to slide therewith and operative in the extended magazine position to force a pair of blades from the magazine into the head simultaneously with ej ection from the head of the first-named blades.

CLYDE A. ARMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,859,083 Gaisman May 17, 1932 2,111,217 Lawrence Mar. 15, 1938 2,296,902 Briggs Sept. 29, 1942 

